Sunday, September 20, 2009

Using A Motorbike Helmet Is Always A Smart Decision

Author: Froilan Ong

The National Traffic Safety Administration says that motorcyclists receive low injuries and survive a crash when they wear a Motorbike Helmet. They tell that about 600 people are saved every year. Autopsy studies have shown that neck injuries and fractures are very equally likely, whether wearing helmet or not. Most medical reports support using motorcycle helmets. They believe that helmet decreases the brain and head injuries significantly and conclude that wearing helmets does not increase your neck injury.

An Italian study concluded that helmet reduces injuries by 66%. The Thailand study found that by making motorbike helmets mandatory, head injuries have decreased by 41% in two years. Now, in Kentucky, study showed that brain injury is increased by 4.3 times when not using helmet. In the article by Jonathan P. Goldstein, Phd titled as The Effects of Motorcycle Helmet Use on the Probability of Fatality and the Severity of Head and Neck Injuries, he concluded that there are various variables in study that makes the study in question. Normal results shows injury rates and death are 2 and 3 time greater for non helmet riders and increase in rates of occurrence in repeal years from 19% - 63%. The helmet verses the non helmet study fail to consider the two classes of riders. They State that the helmet riders will be more cautious by nature.

Firstly, they drive slowly and have slower speed in crash situation. Secondly, they will be less likely to get accident. Thirdly, helmet wearers will be less likely to drink and drive. The factors to consider are the average age of biker, secondly, average miles droved every year per biker thirdly, average experience of biker, fourthly, the motorcycle size. Therefore, alcohol ingestion, risk taking, age, potential speed, between the sizes of bike, simply cannot prove realistically use of helmet.

The Goldstein study approached these variables. They offered a study that evaluates the use of motorbike helmets in accident situation. The conclusions are:-

Motorbike helmets do not have much effect on probability of fatality. Helmets reduce the head injuries. Past the critical impact speed of about 13 mph helmets increase the severity of neck injury.

The report concluded that helmet users face trade off in between reductions in head injuries and increase in neck injuries. There are other choices required to be considered for providing safety in riding motorcycle. Firstly, educate the general public of driving in road use of motorcycles. Secondly, educate inexperienced motorbike riders for avoiding accidents and using properly these powerful machines. Thirdly, create strict enforcement for drunken driving laws. The first motorbike was invented in 1885 by Gottlieb Daimler. It was not manufactured for speed. And as speed was not a factor nobody thought of motorbike helmets. But as the speed of motorbikes increased, number of accidents increased. Then the University of Southern California USC developed motorcycle helmet for absorbing the shock of impact. Along the layer of comfort in the helmet, it has another layer that not only absorbed but spread the energy caused by impact.

About the Author: Froilan Ong is an independent home based business owner and internet marketeer. He was in food and beverage sales for the past 18 years and also works as a sales manager for one of the largest green tea manufacturer in the world. He's now involved in several home based business and works at home.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Using A Motorbike Helmet Is Always A Smart Decision

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